Microsoft almost ditched discs for the Xbox One

TG Daily Staff, 3rd January 2014

Microsoft almost gave discs and optical drives the heave-ho in the final month leading up to the Xbox One’s launch.

"Obviously, after the announcement and E3, there was some feedback about what people wanted to change," Microsoft Studios' Phil Spence told OXM.

"There was a real discussion about whether we should have an optical disc drive in Xbox One or if we could get away with a purely disc-less console, but when you start looking at bandwidth and game size, it does create issues. So we decided - which I think was the right decision - to go with the Blu-ray drive and give the people an easy way to install a lot of content."

According to GameIndustry, Spencer’s comments mesh with a statement Microsoft marketing chief Yusuf Mehdi made in the aftermath of E3.

"We believe the digital world is the future, and we believe digital is better,” Mehdi claimed.

Nevertheless, the exec did acknowledge that consumers aren't always please with change, saying Microsoft would have to provide "a lot of education" to get the public to understand the changes.